Nursing 354 Medication Safety Practice
Exam Questions And Correct Answers
(Verified Answers) Plus Rationales 2026
Q&A Instant Download Pdf
1. A nurse is preparing to administer a medication. Which action is most
important before giving the medication?
A. Ask the patient whether the medication looks familiar.
B. Verify the medication against the medication administration record.
C. Place the medication at the bedside.
D. Ask another patient whether they have taken the medication before.
Answer: B. Verify the medication against the medication administration record.
Rationale: Comparing the medication with the medication administration record
helps ensure that the correct medication is administered to the correct patient at
the prescribed dose, route, and time.
2. Which identifiers should the nurse use before administering medication?
A. Room number and diagnosis
B. Patient's age and room number
C. Patient's name and date of birth
D. Diagnosis and physician's name
Answer: C. Patient's name and date of birth.
,Rationale: Two approved patient identifiers, such as name and date of birth,
help prevent wrong-patient medication errors.
3. Which medication order should the nurse question immediately?
A. Acetaminophen 650 mg orally every 6 hours as needed for pain
B. Amoxicillin 500 mg orally three times daily
C. Digoxin 0.125 mg orally daily
D. Morphine .5 mg IV every 2 hours as needed
Answer: D. Morphine .5 mg IV every 2 hours as needed.
Rationale: A leading zero should be used for doses less than 1 mg. The order
should read 0.5 mg to reduce the risk of misreading the dose.
4. Which notation should the nurse avoid when documenting medication
doses?
A. 0.5 mg
B. 5 mg
C. 5 mL
D. 5.0 mg
Answer: D. 5.0 mg.
Rationale: Trailing zeros can be misread as larger doses. The safer notation is 5
mg rather than 5.0 mg.
5. A nurse discovers that a medication error has occurred. What is the nurse's
priority?
A. Alter the medication administration record
B. Assess the patient
,C. Notify the patient's family first
D. Wait until the end of the shift to report it
Answer: B. Assess the patient.
Rationale: The patient's safety is the immediate priority. The nurse should assess
the patient, provide appropriate care, notify the provider as indicated, and
follow the organization's reporting process.
6. Which medication is considered a high-alert medication?
A. Multivitamin
B. Insulin
C. Calcium carbonate
D. Acetaminophen
Answer: B. Insulin.
Rationale: Insulin is a high-alert medication because errors involving insulin can
cause significant patient harm, including severe hypoglycemia.
7. Which nursing action is appropriate when administering insulin?
A. Use the same syringe for multiple patients
B. Verify the insulin dose according to institutional policy
C. Estimate the dose based on the patient's appearance
D. Administer insulin without checking the blood glucose when prescribed
Answer: B. Verify the insulin dose according to institutional policy.
Rationale: Insulin is a high-alert medication, so careful verification of the dose is
essential to reduce medication errors.
8. Which abbreviation creates a significant medication-safety risk?
, A. mL
B. PO
C. U for units
D. mg
Answer: C. U for units.
Rationale: The abbreviation U can be misread as a zero or another number.
Writing "units" in full reduces the risk of dosing errors.
9. A patient reports a medication allergy that is not listed in the medical
record. What should the nurse do first?
A. Administer the medication and observe the patient
B. Document the allergy and investigate the medication order
C. Tell the patient that the allergy is probably outdated
D. Ask the patient to sign a waiver
Answer: B. Document the allergy and investigate the medication order.
Rationale: A reported allergy must be taken seriously. The nurse should
document it according to policy and verify medication safety before
administration.
10.Which factor is most important when administering a medication to an
older adult?
A. Older adults always require half the adult dose
B. Age-related changes can affect medication metabolism and elimination
C. Older adults cannot receive intravenous medications
D. Older adults do not experience adverse drug reactions
Answer: B. Age-related changes can affect medication metabolism and
elimination.
Exam Questions And Correct Answers
(Verified Answers) Plus Rationales 2026
Q&A Instant Download Pdf
1. A nurse is preparing to administer a medication. Which action is most
important before giving the medication?
A. Ask the patient whether the medication looks familiar.
B. Verify the medication against the medication administration record.
C. Place the medication at the bedside.
D. Ask another patient whether they have taken the medication before.
Answer: B. Verify the medication against the medication administration record.
Rationale: Comparing the medication with the medication administration record
helps ensure that the correct medication is administered to the correct patient at
the prescribed dose, route, and time.
2. Which identifiers should the nurse use before administering medication?
A. Room number and diagnosis
B. Patient's age and room number
C. Patient's name and date of birth
D. Diagnosis and physician's name
Answer: C. Patient's name and date of birth.
,Rationale: Two approved patient identifiers, such as name and date of birth,
help prevent wrong-patient medication errors.
3. Which medication order should the nurse question immediately?
A. Acetaminophen 650 mg orally every 6 hours as needed for pain
B. Amoxicillin 500 mg orally three times daily
C. Digoxin 0.125 mg orally daily
D. Morphine .5 mg IV every 2 hours as needed
Answer: D. Morphine .5 mg IV every 2 hours as needed.
Rationale: A leading zero should be used for doses less than 1 mg. The order
should read 0.5 mg to reduce the risk of misreading the dose.
4. Which notation should the nurse avoid when documenting medication
doses?
A. 0.5 mg
B. 5 mg
C. 5 mL
D. 5.0 mg
Answer: D. 5.0 mg.
Rationale: Trailing zeros can be misread as larger doses. The safer notation is 5
mg rather than 5.0 mg.
5. A nurse discovers that a medication error has occurred. What is the nurse's
priority?
A. Alter the medication administration record
B. Assess the patient
,C. Notify the patient's family first
D. Wait until the end of the shift to report it
Answer: B. Assess the patient.
Rationale: The patient's safety is the immediate priority. The nurse should assess
the patient, provide appropriate care, notify the provider as indicated, and
follow the organization's reporting process.
6. Which medication is considered a high-alert medication?
A. Multivitamin
B. Insulin
C. Calcium carbonate
D. Acetaminophen
Answer: B. Insulin.
Rationale: Insulin is a high-alert medication because errors involving insulin can
cause significant patient harm, including severe hypoglycemia.
7. Which nursing action is appropriate when administering insulin?
A. Use the same syringe for multiple patients
B. Verify the insulin dose according to institutional policy
C. Estimate the dose based on the patient's appearance
D. Administer insulin without checking the blood glucose when prescribed
Answer: B. Verify the insulin dose according to institutional policy.
Rationale: Insulin is a high-alert medication, so careful verification of the dose is
essential to reduce medication errors.
8. Which abbreviation creates a significant medication-safety risk?
, A. mL
B. PO
C. U for units
D. mg
Answer: C. U for units.
Rationale: The abbreviation U can be misread as a zero or another number.
Writing "units" in full reduces the risk of dosing errors.
9. A patient reports a medication allergy that is not listed in the medical
record. What should the nurse do first?
A. Administer the medication and observe the patient
B. Document the allergy and investigate the medication order
C. Tell the patient that the allergy is probably outdated
D. Ask the patient to sign a waiver
Answer: B. Document the allergy and investigate the medication order.
Rationale: A reported allergy must be taken seriously. The nurse should
document it according to policy and verify medication safety before
administration.
10.Which factor is most important when administering a medication to an
older adult?
A. Older adults always require half the adult dose
B. Age-related changes can affect medication metabolism and elimination
C. Older adults cannot receive intravenous medications
D. Older adults do not experience adverse drug reactions
Answer: B. Age-related changes can affect medication metabolism and
elimination.
